Political Jockeying Begins

Perhaps as a portent of things to come the political parties in the city have aired their first public disagreement since the May 1st elections

The Conservative group is demanding changes to the multi million pound King Alfred development insisting that alternative sites should be explored for the housing element of the scheme which would make the controversial 38 storey tower redundant. But the Green Party is reluctant to endorse such a move

Furthermore, against a background where the Council has had to face six defeats at appeal of its 40% affordable housing rule on any brownfield site that has more than 10 units, the Green Party is proposing raising the limit to 50%. The Council has lost the cases because the national guidance is 25% and the new Local Plan, which proposes 40% has not yet been adopted